The board unanimously approved acceptance of the grant funding with little discussion.

Patten said the funding assistance comes at an ideal time with the hectic holiday season now in full swing. Over the four-day Thanksgiving weekend, the department received an estimated 600 calls for assistance, made 10 DWI-related arrests, responded to more than a dozen reports of shoplifting from area retail outlets and monitored Sunday's annual Holiday Parade.

It's winter vacation season for some of us. It's time to grab the skis or snowboard and hit the slopes, or do some cross country skiing, snowshoe trekking, or tubing. We found some events to get you...